NEW BEDFORD — Mayor Jon Mitchell hit back at the City Council Friday, calling councilors' comments about his public spending "criticism for the sake of criticism" not supported by the facts.

"I think people need to stop and ask themselves whether what the City Council is saying is making any sense," he said.

"If they're worried about re-election, what they need to do is work cooperatively with the administration so we can tackle all the big problems" residents care about, he added.

At Thursday night's meeting, councilors pressed Mitchell to replace police cruisers and a 15-year-old inflatable boat used by the Fire Department's station in the South End.

Mitchell said he has approved plans to replace police vehicles and other city cars in the spring. He said he rejected Fire Chief Michael Gomes' request to replace the department's rubber boat because he wanted to buy a Jet Ski.

"In my view that's not the kind of thing we should be spending money on," he said.

Gomes could not be reached for comment.

Mitchell also said he had a strong record when it comes to including women in his administration. Including interns, seven of his eight staff members are women, he said.

Of the four pending appointments before the City Council — CFO, Planning, Tourism and Parks and Recreation — half are women. "It's complete nonsense," he said. "What's really going on is that the City Council is still sore about my veto of their pay raise."

City Council President Bruce Duarte Jr. said it is the council's role to be proactive on problems facing the city and declined to "get into the back and forth with the mayor."

"My intent is to obviously work with the mayor as the council president and to support my colleagues when requests are made," he said.

"The fact of the matter is that the Police Department is in desperate need of new vehicles so whatever way we get there, something needs to be done."